Effects of Auditory Binaural Beats on Consciousness and the Human Nervous System: A Transdisciplinary Review of the Evidence

Abstract

This dissertation aims to offer a transdisciplinary synthesis of peer-reviewed research on the effects of auditory binaural beats (BB) on patterns of the brain activity and the autonomic nervous system. BB create an auditory illusion when two different sound frequencies are heard simultaneously and separately in the left and right ears. The result is the illusion of a third "difference" tone at a pitch that matches the difference between the two original frequencies. This difference tone affects brain activity, influencing a person’s state of consciousness, which is measurable in EEG rhythms. The present transdisciplinary overview of BB research, especially for professionals working with sound for healing, summarizes the progress of BB investigations in the disciplines of health, neuroscience and psychology, providing a broad perspective of the state of BB research and applications. Reviewed here are investigations of brainwave states, methods of measurement, and experimental protocols for BB. Recommendations for future research on BB are suggested.